Lara Croft has a rough time in Siberia. Honestly, if it isn’t the freezing cold or the literal army of Trinity soldiers trying to put a bullet in her head, it’s the fact that the environment itself wants her dead. Most people jumping into this game think they can just run and gun. They treat it like a generic third-person shooter. That is a massive mistake. If you’re looking for a Rise of the Tomb Raider walkthrough that actually works, you have to stop playing it like it’s Gears of War and start playing it like a survival horror game that happens to have puzzles.
Success in this game isn't about having the fastest trigger finger. It's about preparation. You’re dropped into the Prophet’s Tomb in Syria first, which is basically a tutorial disguised as a gorgeous set piece, but once you hit the Siberian wilderness, the training wheels come off. Fast.
Surviving the Early Game Grind
The first few hours of your journey are the most critical. You start with nothing but a basic bow and a lot of grit. Most players rush through the initial mountain climb, but you really shouldn't. Stop. Look around. Grab every piece of hardwood and every feather you see. You'll need them.
The transition from the linear opening to the first "hub" area—the Siberian Wilderness—is where the real Rise of the Tomb Raider walkthrough begins. This isn't just a path to the next objective; it's a resource pit. You’re going to encounter a bear. The first time I played this, that bear absolutely demolished me because I tried to fight it with basic arrows. Don’t be me. You need to gather the mushrooms found in the caves to create Poison Arrows. Poison is the great equalizer in this game. It stuns enemies and deals massive damage over time, which is the only way to take down larger predators or armored Trinity heavies without wasting half your ammo.
One thing people often overlook is the "Language Proficiency" mechanic. You see those monoliths scattered around? You can’t read them yet. Don't get frustrated. Just keep finding murals and documents. Increasing your Greek, Russian, and Mongolian levels is how you unlock the locations of Coin Caches. These caches give you Byzantine Coins, which you can spend at the Supply Shack later in the Soviet Installation. If you want the Grenade Launcher or the Commando Rifle early, you need those coins.
Skill Trees: What to Prioritize
There are three trees: Brawler, Hunter, and Survivor. It’s tempting to go all-in on Brawler because it sounds cool, but that’s a trap for your first ten hours.
Start with the Survivor tree. Specifically, look for "Avid Learner." It gives you extra XP for finding collectibles and completing challenges. Since this game scales difficulty based on your gear and skills, leveling up faster is the single best thing you can do. After that, grab "Eye for Detail" so you can find crafting resources more easily.
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Once you’ve got the basics, pivot to Hunter. "Multi-Shot" is fun, but "Breath Control" is what keeps you alive during those tense stealth sections where you need to hold a full draw on your bow for more than three seconds. It’s the difference between a clean headshot and a panicked skirmish that draws every guard in the camp to your position.
The Soviet Installation Spike
The Soviet Installation is the first massive map you encounter, and it's a huge jump in complexity. It’s also where most people get stuck. You have the main objective—follow Sofia and the Remnant—but there are so many side distractions that it’s easy to lose the thread.
Here is the reality: you cannot finish everything in the Soviet Installation on your first pass. The game is a "Metroidvania" in disguise. You'll see cracked walls you can’t break and cave entrances blocked by heavy barriers. You need the Combat Knife, the Explosive Arrows, and the Wire Spool to reach these. My advice for a smooth Rise of the Tomb Raider walkthrough is to push the story until you meet Jacob in the gulag. This sequence gives you the tools you actually need to backtrack and explore effectively.
Let's talk about the optional Challenge Tombs. Do them. Period. Unlike the 2013 reboot, the rewards in Rise are game-changing. We aren't just talking about XP; we’re talking about unique abilities you can't get anywhere else. The "Ancient Cistern" tomb in the Soviet Installation gives you the "Natural Instincts" skill, which makes nearby resources glow. It’s basically legal cheating for crafters.
Combat is Stealth, Until it’s Not
Trinity soldiers aren't stupid. They have helmets, they use flashlights, and they flank. In the gulag section, you'll be tempted to use that shiny new rifle you found. Resist the urge.
Use the environment. See those red barrels? Obviously, they explode. But did you notice the jars and lanterns? You can craft smoke bombs and Molotovs on the fly. If you’re crouched in a bush and three guards are walking toward you, tossing a smoke bomb and then using your survival instinct to pick them off in the fog is much safer than a shootout.
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The AI reacts to sound. If you fire a gun, they know exactly where you are. If you kill a guy with a bow and his buddy sees the body, they go into a search pattern. They won’t just stand there. They will check the bushes. They will throw grenades into your cover. Move constantly. Kill, reposition, kill again.
Geothermal Valley and the Mid-Game Slump
After the chaos of the Soviet Installation, you hit the Geothermal Valley. It’s beautiful, green, and surprisingly dense. This is the heart of the Remnant’s home. It’s also where the game slows down. You’ll be asked to do a lot of "fetch quest" style missions for the locals, like repairing watchtowers or gathering birds.
It feels like filler. Honestly, it kind of is. But the "Sacred Waters" tomb here is non-negotiable. It grants you "Anatomical Knowledge," allowing you to see the heart of animals in Survival Instinct. If you’re hunting the Great Bear or the snow leopards for their rare skins—which you need for the highest-level quiver and ammo pouches—this skill is a godsend.
Managing Your Resources
By the time you reach the flooded archives, you should be drowning in resources, but somehow you’re always low on cloth. Why? Because you’re healing too much.
In this Rise of the Tomb Raider walkthrough strategy, the goal is to never use a bandage in combat. If you're taking enough damage to need a mid-fight heal, your positioning is wrong. Use the "Dodge Counter" skill. It’s a Brawler perk that lets you stab an enemy in the knee after a well-timed dodge. It opens them up for a finisher and saves you from wasting resources on health.
Also, stop selling your gold at the shack immediately. Save it until you know exactly which weapon upgrade you want. The "Iron Reach" compound bow is arguably the best all-around weapon in the game due to its balance of draw speed and damage, but it requires a hefty investment.
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The Final Push: Kitezh and the Deathless
The last third of the game shifts tones. You’re no longer fighting Trinity mercs; you’re fighting the Deathless Ones. These guys are fast, they wear heavy armor, and they don't care about your "stealth."
This is where your gear finally matters more than your skills. You need the "Broadhead Climbing Arrows" to navigate the final city of Kitezh, but you also need high-damage explosives. The Deathless are vulnerable to fire. If you haven't upgraded your fire arrows to the "Greek Fire" version (which burns blue and hotter), you're going to have a hard time.
The battle on the ice toward the end is a literal gauntlet. You’ll be tempted to hide behind the pillars. Don't. The Deathless archers use fire arrows that have a massive splash radius. If you stay stationary, you're dead. This is the one part of the game where you should switch to your shotgun and just keep moving. The "Thunderclap" shotgun, if you’ve unlocked it, will one-shot most of them at close range.
Understanding the Map Flow
One thing that trips up players is the "Point of No Return." The game will warn you before you enter the final chamber. Take that warning seriously. Go back to the Soviet Installation. Clear out the "Voice of God" and "Red Mine" tombs. Not only do they provide the backstory for the Prophet and the city of Kitezh, but they also give you the "Bright Eyes" skill (detect traps) and "Eyes of the Eagle" (highlights animals).
If you go into the final boss fight against the helicopter and Konstantin without a fully upgraded rifle and maxed-out bandages, it’s going to be a slog. The helicopter fight is essentially a giant puzzle—you have to time your shots to hit the falling canisters Trinity is dropping. It’s less about aiming at the pilot and more about manipulating the environment.
Actionable Steps for Your Playthrough
To wrap this up and get you moving, here’s what you actually need to do to master the game without pulling your hair out.
- Be a Hoarder: Every bush, every crate, every dead bird. Pick it up. You will never regret having too many resources, but you will definitely regret running out of cloth during a boss fight.
- Prioritize the Bow: Your rifle is loud and your pistol is weak. The bow, specifically with poison and explosive tips, is the most versatile tool in Lara’s kit.
- The "Double Tap" Rule: In the late game, enemies wear helmets. One headshot knocks the helmet off; the second one kills. Don't assume they’re dead just because you hit their face.
- Backtrack with New Tools: Once you get the Rebreather from the flooded archives, go back to previous maps. There are underwater caves you literally couldn't enter before that hold some of the best loot in the game.
- Check the Challenges: They aren't just for Trophies/Achievements. Completing things like "Difference of Opinion" (burning posters) gives you a massive XP dump that can push you to that next crucial skill point.
The real trick to this game is realizing that Lara is the apex predator. By the time you reach the end of the Rise of the Tomb Raider walkthrough, you shouldn't be afraid of Trinity. They should be afraid of you. Use the verticality of the maps, stay out of the direct line of sight, and always, always keep a stash of mushrooms for those poison arrows. You've got this.